Lamp making apparatus



Oct. 4, 1938. w. J. GEIGER l.

LAMP MAKING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29, 1938 H mwi Mn be r I GA 0 d t wr a m n elax. a. W

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5 Th i? Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAMP MAKING APPARATUS Walter J. Geiger and Reginald J. Ayres, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York ApplicationJam lary 29, 1938, Serial No. 187,709

6 Claims. (01. 1763) Our invention relates to apparatus for accurately locatingv or prefocussing the light source of an electric lamp with respect to a reference surface of the lamp such as a portiorr of an associated base. I

,In the manufacture of certain lamps, such as those used for projection purposes, it is highly desirable to locate the light source in a very accurate predetermined position with respect to a portion of a base, for example. Heretofore, all such accurate positioning operations have been confined to apparatus comprising a single stationary head having a fixed holder for the lamp base and an adjustable holder for the bulb containing the light source, an image of the light source being projected by associated optical apparatus on a suitable screen, and the bulb holder being adjusted to bring the said image to the correct position on the said screen, after which the lamp base was permanently united to the, bulb. Multiple head machines were used only to locate mounts carrying the light sources in approximately the correct position with reference to the bulbs and bases and it was thought that these machines were incapable of producing the high degree of accuracy now desired. In these machines, an optical device, or focal gauge, was mounted rigidly with reference to the center shaft and the lamp heads were also mounted rigidly on a turret which rotated with the center shaft as an axis. Any warp- 'ing of the turret immediately caused misalignment of the heads.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a multiple head machine for very accurately prefocussing an electric lamp by optical means. According to our invention, this object is attained by providing means for causing the optical apparatus and each of the heads on a movable carrierto be accurately in predetermined relationship when the heads are brought before the optical apparatus by movement of the carrier. Further objects and advantages of our invention will appear from the following detailed description of species thereof and from the drawing.

In the" drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the turret of a multiple head basing machine, only one of the heads being illustrated and also showing in operative relation thereto apparatus for accurately locating a lamp filament with respect to a base in accordance with our invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of a head of the basing machine and means for aligning the optical apparatus there- Of April 9, 1929.

with; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of a modified head of a basing machine and modified aligning means.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, a lamp bulb I and base II which are to be cemented together are carried in separate holders of a head l2 mounted at the periphery of the carrier or turret l3. The head I2 shown is only one of a plurality of heads usually mounted on the turret l3 and is advanced by regular indexing movements of said turret l3 which carry it through a series of stations at which the basing operations are preformed as disclosed in Patent 1,708,756., J. T. Fagan et al., An operator sits adjacent a few of these stations and inserts the bulbs I0 and bases ll into the heads l2 as they pass before her anda second operator sits adjacent the optical apparatus l4 located at a succeeding station and adjusts the bulb l0 until the filament l5 therein is properly located with refer-'- ence to the base II. The remaining stations are occupied by burners and other mechanisms (not shown) used to harden or set the cement l6 located in the base II and to perform the other usual operations associated with the basing and testing of the lamp.

The bulb I0 is inserted into the base H prior to being placed in the basing machine and both are placed in the head l2 by a single movement of the operator during an interval in which the finger I! at the upper end of the head is swung up and back. During this period the bulb Ill rests very lightly on the ring of cement IS in the base I l and the leading-in wires I 8 and I9 extend respectively upward through an aperture in the insulating plug 20 and laterally through a slit in the shell of the base II. The bulb I0 is lowermost and closes off the open end of the cup-shaped holder 21 to which a source of vacuum is connected which holds the bulb firmly in place. The base II in this case is a type having a reference surface or engagement means consisting of a flange 22 at the end of the shell adjacent to the bulb l0 and is placed in the basing machine with said fiage 22 fitting snugly in an aperture in arm 23 andseating against the shoulder 24 therein. The bulb l0 andbase H are preferably orientated so that the laterally projecting leading-in wire I9 extends radially outward from the turret l3. After the bulb l0 and base II have been placed in the head 12, the finger I1 is lowered" onto the upper end of said base ll so that it is held firmly in place in the, shouldered aperture 24 and is there- 5 frame 26 of the head l2 and is pressed against the base II by the torsion spring 21.

Following the insertion of the bulb l0 and base into the basing head l2, said head t2 is indexed into a station before the optical apparatus M which focuses on the screen 28 two enlarged images of the lamp filament l5 taken from directions at right angles to eachother in a horizontal plane. In this particular instance the filament I5 is brought to incandescence to produce the light for projection of its image by the completion of an electrical circuit therethrough by the pairs of jaws 29 and 30 which engage the leads l8 and I9 respectively. These jaws 29 and 30 move down to grip the leading-in wires l8 and I9 and are of the type shown in the Fagan et a1. Patent 1,724,831. The optical apparatus 4 is of the type shown in said Patent 1,724,831 and consists of a housing 3| supporting two optical systems each consisting of the lenses 32 and 33, prism 34 and mirror 35 which sight the filament 5 from directions'at right angles to each other in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bulb Ill. The housing 3|, as shown, is fastened to a bracket 36 which in turn is fastened to the block 31 mounted on the center column 38 of the basing machine. The center column 38 extends through a sleeve 39 to which the turret I3 is attached and in this instance is the only support for the housing 3|. The images of the filament l5, as viewed by each section of the optical apparatus, appear enlarged at the sides of the frosted glass screen 28 which is provided with a pair of vertical hair lines 40 40 and a horizontal hair line 4| for indicating the center of the desired position of the filament IS.

The machine is constructed and adjusted so that the filament |5 is correctly located with respect to the base II when the images thereof are centrally located about the intersections of the hair lines 40 and 4|. An operator viewing the screen 28 isrequired to make the proper adjustment of the bulb ID to bring the filament |5 in this position. The operator brings about the adjustments required by rotating the knurled screws 42 and 43 and the knurled wheel 44 to shift the position of the bulb-holding cup 2|. As shown, the cup 2| is mounted on a slide 45 located in ways in the block 46 which is also provided with ways for the slide which in turn is mounted by means of a bracket 48 on the spindle 49. Movement of the slide 45 and block 46 moves the bulb ID in a horizontal plane in directions at right angles to the axes of the pairs of lenses 32 and 33 so as to shift the images of the filament |5 laterally on the screen 28 and is brought about in each case by movement of the screws 42 and 43 respectively in or out of the block 46. Both screws 42 and 43 engage threads in the block 46 and each is provided with an integral collar 58 which engages a groove 50' in each slide 45'and 4'! respectively. A pair of springs 5| (only one being shown in Fig. 2) located partly within wells in the block 46 and engaging tongues extending from the slides 45 and 41 (only tongue 5| on slide 45 being shown) take up all play in the adjustment means for slide 45 and block 46, i. e., the loose fit of threads and the loose fit of the collars 56 in the grooves in said slides 45 and 41. The knurled wheel 44 is threaded on. the spindle 49 which causes the bulb II] to be raised and lowered as the wheel 44 is turned. The said wheel 44 rests upon 1" the bearing 52 on'the arm 52' of the frame 26 7 by definitely located. The finger I1 is pivoted on the pin 25 mounted in the upper end'of the of the basing head I 2. The spindle 49 extends through said arm 52' and a lower arm 53' of the frame 26 and is connected by a flexible hose 53 to a source of vacuum rotating with the turret. The vacuum reaches the cup 2| through a bore in the spindle 49, the block 46 and the slides 45 and 4l. The spring 54 located between the upper arm 52' of the frame 26 and the block 55 on the spindle 49 expands as the cup 2| and the spindle 49 are moved down.

We have found that in some cases the apparatus described above is not sufficient to cause the bulbs Ill to be uniformly based with the filament |5 within the required limits since the rigidity of the optical apparatus l4 and the turret l3, the uneven expansion and contraction of the machine parts, etc;, cause misalignment of these parts. In the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2, we provide means for locating each head |2 laterally or circumferentially of the turret and vertically with respect to the optical apparatus M to assure the required accuracy of basing. The circumferential alignment of the head I2 is brought about by the insertion of a plunger 56, located in slide ways in the vertical portion of a bracket 51 extending from the housing 3| and in permanent alignment with the optical apparatus, into the aperture 58 in the frame 26 of the basing head l2. This plunger 56 is of such width as to snugly engage the sides of the aperture 58 and is tapered at the end so as to enter said aperture and turn the head I2 slightly in a. horizontal direction to the correct position when it is misaligned. In this case, the slight lateral movement of the head is provided by a slight rotational movement of the turret l3. Vertical clearance is provided for the plunger 56 in the aperture 58 so that it does not affect the vertical position of the head. The plunger 56 is moved by the lever 59 fastened to the shaft 60 supported in the bracket 51. Said lever 59 engages the pin 6| extending from said plunger 56 and is operated at the proper intervals by means (not shown), which may be the means for operating the pairs of jaws 29 and 30. The heads l2 are aligned vertically with respect to the optical apparatus H by means of the roller 62 on the horizontal arm portion of bracket 51 which engages the top horizontal surface of the arm 23 when the heads l2 are indexed into position before said apparatus and either lifts the optical apparatus M to a given predetermined relation to the head |2 or presses the head I2 down to a given height. In this case the very slight adjustment required is provided from spring in the parts, although the optical apparatus |4 could of course be made vertically adjustable on the column 38. The roller 62 is held in place on the bracket 51 by the plate 63 attached thereto. The housing 3| for the optical apparatus l4 and the bracket 51 are extremely rigid so that there is little chance of any misalignment occurring in this portion of the apparatus. Since the roller 62 engages the arm 23 which supports the base directly and the plunger 56 engages the frame 26 which is particularly rigid and fastened tightly to the arm .23, there is little possibility of any misalignment occurring in any part of the apparatus.

Should the carrier for the heads |2 be of another construction such as, for instance, an endless belt or a more flexible turret, or be subjected to more heating and cooling, means may also be ever is the more flexibly mounted, is positioned vertically by the roller 62 on the bracket 51'. and in all other planes by the plunger 64. The bracket 51' corresponds to the bracket 51 in Figs. 1 and 2 and is fastened'rigidly to the housing 3| of the optical means. The plunger 64 is slidably mounted in a hole in the bracket 51 which definitely fixes its position and is moved down by lever 66 into a hole 65 in the frame 26' of the basing head l2 in which it fits quite snugly. The end of plunger 64 is tapered so as to pass into the hole or aperture 65 when the head I2 is slightly oif position. The lever 66 engages the plunger 64 through a pin 61 on said lever extending into a groove in the upper end of said plunger and is pivoted on the pin 68 supported by the bracket 51'. As in the former instance, the means (not shown) for operating the jaws 29 and 30 may, for instance, be used to operate the lever 66 and plunger 64. Obviously the turret III of Fig. 1 and the optical apparatus l4 are quite rigid in a radial direction and if that type of construction is used with this latter type of positioning apparatus (Fig. 3), some freedom of movement in a radial direction must be provided for either the optical apparatus of the heads. This freedom may consist, for instance, of a slidable mounting forthe optical apparatus I4.

While we have shown and described certain preferred species of our invention, it will be obviousto those skilled in the art that various changes, substitutions and omissions may be made therein without departing from the spirit of our invention. For instance, in some cases extremely accurate positioning of the filament may be required only in a vertical direction, i. e., for light-center length, in which event the laterally aligning means comprising plungers 56 and 64 may be omitted.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a device of the type described, the combination of a movable carrier having a head mounted thereon for supporting an electric lamp, optical apparatus mounted adjacent the path of movement of said head for indicating when the light source of said lamp is accurately located with respect to a reference surface on the lamp, and means for causing said optical apparatus and said head to be accurately aligned in predetermined relationship' when said head is brought before said optical apparatus by movement of said carrier.

2. In a device of the type described, the combination of a movable carrier having a head mounted thereon for supporting an electric lamp, optical apparatus mounted adjacent the path of movement of said head for indicating when the light source of said lamp is accurately located.

3. In a device of the type described, the combination of a carrier constructed and arranged to move in a substantially horizontal plane having-a head mounted thereon for supporting an electric lamp, optical apparatus mounted adjacent the. path of movement of said head for indicating when the light source of, said lamp is accurately located with respect to a reference surface on the lamp, and means for causing said optical apparatus and said head to be accurately aligned in predetermined relationship when said head is brought before said optical apparatus by movement of said carrier, said means comprising an arm extending substantially horizontally from said optical apparatus and arranged to engage a substantially horizontal surface on said head to vertically align said head and optical apparatus.

4. .In a device of the type described, the combination of a carrier constructed and arranged to move in a substantially horizontal plane having a head mounted thereon for supporting an electric lamp, optical apparatus mounted adjacent the path of movement of said head for indicatlng when the light source of said lamp is accurately located with respect to a reference surface on the lamp, and means for causing said movement of said carrier, said means comprising an arm-extending substantially horizontally from said optical apparatus and having a spacing roller thereon arranged to engage a substantially horizontal surface on said head to vertical- -ly align said head and optical apparatus.

5. In a device of the type described, the combination of a carrier constructed and arranged to move in a substantially horizontal plane and having a head mounted thereon for supporting an electric lamp, optical apparatus mounted adjacent the path of movement of said head for indicating when the light source of said lamp is accurately located with respect to a reference surface on the lamp, and means for causing said optical apparatus and said head to be accurately aligned in predetermined relationship when said ing horizontally from said optical apparatus and arranged to engage a horizontal surface on said head to vertically align said head and optical apparatus.

6. In a device of the type described, the combination of a movable carrier having a head thereon comprising a fixed holder for a lamp base and an adjustable holder for a lamp bulb containing a light 'source, optical apparatus mounted adjacent the path of movement of said head for indicating when the light source of said lamp is accurately located with respect to said base, means for causing said optical appara and said head to be accurately aligned in predetermined relationship when said head is brought before said optical apparatus by movement of said turret, and means for adjusting said bulb holder to locate the said light source in a predetermined position with respect to the said base.

WALTER J. GEIGER. REGINALD J. AYRES 

